[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 200 (Wednesday, November 17, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H6323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                              {time}  1015
                DEFENDING RIGHTS OF ESSENTIAL CAREGIVERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Tenney) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. TENNEY. Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed so many 
vulnerabilities in our communities, our economy, and our healthcare 
system. None of us were prepared for the endless virtual meetings, 
school closings, and weeks spent in quarantine. Nor could we have been 
ready for the tragic loss of our neighbors and loved ones who were 
living in long-term care facilities across the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today about the grave impact the negligent 
policies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic had on the most 
vulnerable in our communities.
  Over the past nearly 2 years, we watched our grandparents in nursing 
homes and our family and friends in group homes struggling to maintain 
their health, dignity, and will to go on as they were left without the 
care and attention they deserved over long periods of isolation.
  When I was sworn in to serve in the 117th Congress, one of the first 
bills I introduced was the bipartisan Essential Caregivers Act. This 
bill is a critical step to ensure that residents of long-term care 
facilities are not left to suffer in isolation during this or any 
future public health emergency.
  While shut out from their family and loved ones in isolation, many 
long-term care residents began suffering from depression, extreme 
loneliness, and a major decline in mental and physical health. It is 
the injustice of this century that this is going unaddressed by 
Congress.
  Since introducing the Essential Caregivers Act, we have started a 
coalition of passionate and tenacious fighters across the country. It 
is the Essential Caregivers Movement.
  With me today, I have a book authored by Karla Abraham-Conley, an 
amazing constituent of mine who also was prohibited from providing the 
needed care for her mother because of negligent policies in place by 
our former Governor. This is her great book. It is absolutely 
beautiful. ``Protecting Them to Death'' is the title.
  Folded into each page of Karla's book are harrowing stories from 
individuals who either lost a loved one in a long-term care facility or 
witnessed from a distance as their loved ones suffered from serious 
declines in their mental and physical health.
  These are not just the stories of New Yorkers. These are accounts 
from all across the Nation as you go through each part of this book. I 
could flip every page of this book and tell you a story from every 
single State. They are heartbreaking. They are cruel. Most importantly, 
they motivate those with the power and responsibility to make a 
meaningful change for our future.
  When I see this book, I see the ways our laws have failed our 
constituents. I see the pain, but I also see the opportunity on every 
page, a chance for this Congress to stand up on behalf of these hurting 
Americans and boldly say: I will act. I will defend your rights as an 
essential caregiver.
  Before I close, I would like to share an excerpt from Karla's 
personal story. ``I was my mother's essential caregiver every single 
day prior to the lockdown. Suddenly, I wasn't there anymore, and she 
was incapable of understanding why.''
  Karla continues by saying her mother ``was left to die alone in her 
bed, and not from COVID-19. She said to me via a virtual visit, `Get me 
outta here. They're going to kill me,' which is exactly what 
happened.''
  When Karla was shut off from her mother, her mother's state of health 
rapidly declined. Karla's mother developed sepsis, renal failure, high 
sodium levels, swelling of the brain, and other symptoms that went 
unnoticed. After Karla fought tooth and nail to admit her mother to the 
emergency room, her mother passed away a week later.
  Mr. Speaker, what you have heard is unacceptable by all standards, 
but it is just one of thousands of stories I wanted to share.
  I thank Karla and so many essential caregivers, including our own 
VoicesForSeniors, another advocacy group in New York State, for sharing 
this dark chapter in their lives.
  Not many people can turn grief into action and start a nationwide 
movement. Yet, in a time of incredible sadness and loss, so many strong 
men and women chose to stand up and do just that. I applaud their 
courage, their bravery, and their tenacity in this fight. I introduced 
the Essential Caregivers Act for each of them and their loved ones.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to lead this fight in Congress, but I am 
not leading it alone. I am joined by our colleagues from both sides of 
the aisle, including the bill's cosponsor and co-lead, Congressman   
John Larson of Connecticut. We are so grateful for his advocacy as 
well.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge more of my colleagues to join us to pass this 
bill, to make it a reality and help these people who are advocating 
across the Nation to protect those who could be in this jeopardy in the 
future. I will remain committed to this fight for so many families who 
were forced to comply with the careless policies that prevented them 
from caring for their loved ones.

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